Spit in the Face

Time: 34:59
Distance: 5.34 miles
Pace: 6:33
Map

I ran this morning but that's not what I'm going to write about in this post. I'm sitting back at my apartment having returned from dropping Meagan off at Run for Your Life where I picked up a race brochure for the Savannah River Bridge Run. The brochure is right here in front of me and it looks very professionally done with clean graphics, bright colors, and all the pertinent race date information. The slogan appears to be "The south's toughest bridge run," implying that it's a hardcore event dedicated to trained runners/walkers. The brochure cover also states, "Run, walk or crawl," which further supports the difficulty of the race. Simply put, the race is not for wimps.

Let's take a look inside. Inside left has a schedule of events starting on December 4th when packets can be picked up. Race times are listed for all events including the Kids Run, 5k and 10k. Opposite page: more race information explaining accommodations, transportation, chip timing and expo location.

Inside middle left: Lifestats 5k, 10k course, Double Pump challenge (run both the 5k and 10k), team challenge information.

Inside middle right: age groups & awards, costume contest, costume contest prize money breakdown ($400, $200, $100).

WHAT!!!

They are offering $400 to the first place winner of the costume contest?! Surely the race must be awarding diamonds or gold bullion to the winners of the race but I can't seem to find that such a claim is made.

This isn't the first time I've come across a race brochure where costume winners get to take home money and the runners get nothing. I'll be the first to admit to being biased and in favor of handing out prize money to the runners as I am someone who could potentially win some of that money. However, it's upsetting when community groups, running stores, race directors, and timing companies take advantage of the sport.

Athletics is a sport that I care much about and I would like to see its popularity increase in the U.S. It's great that running and road races have become weekend activities for people in America. No doubt, organizers design races because they are diverse community level events with the potential to attract thousands. However, it doesn't help the sport when race directors choose to diminish the runners' effort by rewarding those who arrive in costume. A costume party is fit for: the circus, the fair, a carnival. A costume party should not be a featured attraction of a race, the race should be. The athletes should be.

I realize road races are fundraisers for various charities and that usually a race director cares very little about running. The goal is to ultimately raise dollars but then is it necessary for a race to be the chosen path to that end? Is running being taken advantage of when race directors charge $25 for a poorly organized race with only 120 participants?

Here is an article on About.com about running in costume. I have no qualms about running in costume. I would invite you to run in costume, but the rewards should be nothing more than the cheers and laughs from the crowd.

Don Garrett of DG Road Productions fame hosted a race last year that gave out prize money to costume winners. Why? It makes no sense to me. Am I missing the point?

Here is my closing argument about running, money and costumes: you probably thought I was talking about a Halloween themed race, maybe a Monster Dash, or a Mummy Race, even a Dracula Run. Nope! The Savannah Bridge Run and Downtown in December both take place on December 5th. What's to celebrate?! Why the costume?!

This felt like a Scotty D rant.